Living Shadow
by Yara Meijer
Summary: CURRENTLY REWRITING - After Holy Road, it seems everything is going well, until 'it' appears. When the Raimon Eleven is haunted by a strange Shadow, history will repeat itself once again. This time, however, the Inazuma Japan is ready to help. But what can they do when Raimon starts to disappear? And what exactly happened ten years ago, when the Inazuma Japan were the haunted ones?
1. Chapter 1: Return and Departure

**Hello everyone!  
First: I want to apologize for my bad English. You see, I normally don't speak English. Yes, I can understand it, but writing and talking is still difficult. So I'm sure that there'll be a lot of mistakes, and if you see them, feel free to tell me. That would be a lot of help!  
Second: This is the first fanfiction I've ever written, so I'm sure it's bad. Sorry about that.  
Third: Maybe I do something wrong while uploading the chapters. That's because I've NO idea how this site works. I've read a lot of stories, and I see always things like ''OC'' or ''OOC'' or ''T''. And I don't have a clue what it all means. Yes, I've read the rules here, but it's hard to understand everything. So, if I do something wrong, please tell me. It would really help me.  
Fourth: Maybe, and I say maybe, if a miracle happens and people actually like this story: it's just a hobby. Sorry if I don't upload every month. And if I don't like the story anymore, I'll probably write an ending like ''and then exploded the room and everything ended''. Or I'll let the bad side win - that's always fun ^.^**

 **Alright, there's one thing I know: I don't own Inazuma Eleven (GO) or the characters. I've read in other stories something about Level 5, but then again: I don't know anything about that stuff.**

 **Well, I guess this is it. Start reading the story if you still want to! :)**

 **Last thing: I'm really, really, really nervous. It's my first fanfiction, but I already said that. I really want to slap myself in the face because I'm stupid enough to do this.**

* * *

It all changed that day. Nothing would have happened if I stayed home. But, apparently, I was out of luck. The only day I _really_ needed my luck the most, the Goddess of Fortune decided to go on a vacation.

I will definitely change everything back. Back to the way it used to be. Even if I have to do the impossible. I can't change the past, but I can change the future. I, no, _we_ have proven that much.

* * *

It's been five weeks since the Raimon Eleven defeated the Fifth Sector in the finals of the Holy Road. A week after the final match against Dragon Link, I decided to go on a ''vacation''. I was tired from all the stressful events, so I wanted to get out of town for a short period of time.

But things didn't work out this time. That vacation doomed my whole life.

When I came back to Inazuma Town, I had changed. And it wasn't a good change.

It's the first Monday after my return. When I arrive at Raimon Junior High, I see Endou-kantoku, and he looks worried. Aki-nee has already told him about what happened.

I walk towards him, and he nods when he sees me. ''Tenma.''

I nod too. ''Endou-kantoku.''

He starts to walk, and I follow him. A few minutes later, we arrive at his office. The coach closes the door and leans against his desk.

The young adult sighs, and nods towards a chair in front of the desk ''Sit down.'' I do as he says and sit down auietly. ''I already heard the most important things from Aki, but I want you to tell me the whole story.''

Again, I do as he says and start to talk.

When I'm done, the coach seems even more worried than before. ''I understand the situation, and I've already contacted Kidou and Gouenji, so the preparations are complete. They'll be here within fifteen minutes. I want you to wait outside, and when they arrive you need to stay close to them. I'll wait for the rest of the team, and we'll be leaving within an hour. Do you think that'll be enough time?'' he asks.

I sigh. ''I think so, but I'm not sure. Time is the most important thing here, and unfortunately, we don't have time.''

The dark-haired man nods, and I'm about to leave his office when he says: ''Please be careful, Tenma.''

I only smile. I leave the room and walke outside.

Fifteen minutes later, the Inazuma caravan stops in front of me. Kidou and Gouenji see me and the two adults walk towards me.

The striker smiles a bit. ''Tenma, it's good to see you again.''

His friend frowns. ''Although I hoped it would have been a better situation,'' Kidou says.

I sigh again. ''Yeah, but there's nothing we can change about it now. First, we all need to get out of here. As quickly as possible,'' I say. The two adults nod.

The silence is tense, while the three of us wait after the school. Thirty minutes later, a phone rings.

It's Kidou's. ''I just got a message from Endou. The team will be here within the next five minutes. We should get inside the caravan.'' I nod, and get inside the blue bus. I sit in the front, while Kidou sits on the other side of the aisle and Gouenji sits behind the steering wheel.

A few minutes later, I hear voices. My team enters the caravan. ''Tenma!'' Shindou says surprised when he sees me.

I smile brightly. ''Captain! It's been a while!''

The older boy walks towards me and sits down next to me. ''Any idea what's going on?'' he asks me.

I frown and look outside the window, avoiding his sharp gaze. ''Yeah, but this isn't the right time to talk about it. First, we need to get out of here,'' I reply. Shindou frowns and nods.

Four minutes later, the caravan starts to move. It's quiet. Only Kidou, Gouenji, coach Endou and I know what's happening and why we had to leave so suddenly.

I look nervously out the window, and sigh again.

Then, my arm starts to burn. ''Coach. They're close.''

Endou-kantoku frowns. ''Are you sure?'' he asks me. I nod, and he swears. ''Damn it. Can we drive a little faster?''

Gouenji smiles. ''Of course we can,'' he says, as we increase speed.

Again, it's quiet. My arm stops burning, and I sigh relieved. Shindou frowns again, but doesn't say anything.

The team is clearly confused. Endou smiles reassuring. ''Relax, we'll be fine.''

Kirino breaks the silence. ''But coach, where are we going?'' the murmurs from the other players state that he's not the only one who's thinking that.

The smile of the young adult falls. ''We're going somewhere… far away. I'm not sure how long we'll be gone, but your parents are informed that we'll be going on a trainingcamp and that you didn't need to bring any clothes or something else of that sort,'' he explains.

Kariya frowns. ''From the way you said it, I don't believe we're going on a trainingcamp. Am I right?'' the teal-haired boy asks sharply.

Kidou smiles a little. ''You're pretty sharp. No, it's not a trainingcamp. The reasons are more… complicated.''

Kariya opens his mouth to ask another question, but Endou-kantoku cuts him off. ''We'll tell you guys later. For now, just relax, okay?'' there are a few nods, and some people start a conversation. I turn around to look out the window and think back to everything that happened.

* * *

 _I've been sick for days. Aki-nee looks worried. I know why, because Endou-kantoku told me a few weeks ago, when Shindou was in the hospital. His prediction was right: history repeats itself once again._

 _He also said that the old Inazuma Japan is looking for a solution, but they haven't found any clues yet._

 _When the black marks appeared on my right arm, Aki-nee called coach Endou. I started to hear a strange sound. I thought it was a voice, but it was too soft so I couldn't hear the words._

 _After that, the strange images started. A dark place, and the players of the Raimon Eleven. When they opened their eyes, I knew for sure._

 _The curse has appeared._

* * *

A few hours pass, while the atmosphere becomes colder. The team knows something's wrong, but they don't dare to ask what.

It was supposed to be a fun day, but it is a dark day instead. Even if we get out of Inazuma Town, the curse will follow us. No matter where we go.

''We're almost there. I'll explain everything when we're at our destination,'' coach Endou says. I look out of the window. The sky is cloudy: it's probably going to rain within an hour.

My right arm feels cold, ice cold, so that means they're far. The coach looks at me, and I nod. He smiles a little, and says something to Kidou.

Half an hour later, we're at our destination. A big, white mansion, somewhere inside a forest. The closest town is a couple of miles away. We should be safe here, at least for today.

When we get outside the caravan, the air feels heavy and cold. Gouenji opens the door of the mansion. We all get inside the house, and I hear surprised cries from my friends when they see the old Inazuma Japan. Well, a part of Inazuma Japan: Kazemaru, Hiroto, Midorikawa, Fubuki and Fudou. I also see Natsumi and Haruna. Aki-nee stayed at home.

Nishiki frowns. ''What are all of you doing here?''

''They're here for the research, and to make sure we're safe. We won't be able to leave this mansion until _it_ is defeated,'' I reply, and my teammates look at me.

Shindou raises an eyebrow. ''What exactly is going on here?''

I smile a little. ''A lot, trust me. And it's not good.'' Then I turn to the Inazuma Japan. ''How is the research going?'' I ask.

Kazemaru sighs. ''Not good. There are almost no clues about _it_.''

I sigh too. ''But you know what's going to happen in the next stadium, right? From ten years ago, I mean. And fifty years ago?'' I ask him.

He smiles and nods. ''Yeah, that's also the reason we began this early. So we should be prepared for everything,'' Kazemaru replies, and I nod.

Endou closes the door, and the cold air disappeares. Everyone looks at the coach from the Raimon Eleven. ''Alright, it's late and everyone must be tired. You'll all get a map of this place, and then everyone goes to his or her room. There are clean clothes in the closets. I want to see you in the dining room at half past six. Understood?'' the team nods, as do I. Fudou and Fubuki hand out the maps, and I leave for my room. How further I walk, the heavier the air feels. Finally I see a wooden door with my name on it, and I go inside.

The room is… well, there's no other way to put it: the room is gigantic. You could put five elephants in the room, and there would still be room for more. There's a big four-poster on the left side of the room, with two nightstands. The rear wall is one, big window, overlooking a soccer field. On the other side, there's a desk with a chair. Next to the desk, there's a big sofa. On the floor there's a large carpet. I see a big TV and there's also a fridge.

If I didn't know the reason why we were here, I would love it.

There are two doors: one on the left, and one on the right. After a quick inspection tour, I know that the door on the right leads to a large bathroom, and the door on the left leads to the closet coach Endou was talking about.

I walk inside the closet, which is bigger than my room in Inazuma Town.

Ten minutes later, I wear darkgreen jeans, a green T-shirt and a white jacket with a Raimon logo.

I look at the clock on one of the nightstands. It's 18:15. I grab the map and leave my room.

* * *

Ten minutes later I enter the dining room. Gouenji and Kazemaru are the only ones who have already changed their clothes. ''Tenma! You're here already!'' Kazemaru says when he sees me.

I nod, although it's not a question. ''There was no point in staying in my room. And I probably couldn't relax anyway.''

Gouenji smiles, and Kazemaru nods. ''That's not such a big surprise. You're the only one of the players who knows what's going on,'' Kazemaru replies.

Gouenji frowns. ''Where are they now?''

I concentrate on the black marks on my arm. ''When they lost our track, they went back to Inazuma Town. It'll at least take six hours for them to get here, and first they have to figure out where we are. I think they'll be here Wednesday,'' I reply.

The white-haired striker nods. ''Well, that's something.''

I hear footsteps. Shinsuke, Sangoku, Hamano and Hamaji enter the dining room. ''Hey! Tenma!'' Shinsuke shouts when he sees me.

I smile brightly and wave. ''Shinsuke!''

The smaller boy walks towards me. ''You're back! I didn't have the chance to talk to you in the bus. How was your break?''

I frown. ''Could have been better.'' A few minutes later, Fudou, Kidou, Kurumada, Kirino, Kariya and Shindou enter the room. Almost immediately after them, they are followed by coach Endou, Hikaru, Agami, Tsurugi, Kurama, Aoyama, Ichino, Nishiki, Hiroto, Midorikawa and Fubuki. Am I the only one whose room is secluded? Then I realize that I left my room early.

We all sit down at the big table. There are five places left. Natsumi, Haruna and the managers come into the room. They carry a few trays with food, and I realize that they were cooking. I really hope Natsumi didn't help. When everyone has his or her food, the girls sit down.

''Itadakimasu!'' I start to eat, and I'm relieved when I find out that Natsumi _didn't_ help with the cooking. We'll at least survive the meal. When we're done with eating, I look at Shindou. He looks really curious. So do the other players, probably because they don't have the slightest idea why we're here.

Our captain finally decides to break the silence. ''Coach Endou?'' Shindou asks.

The coach looks at him. ''Hmm?'' He asks, and I smile.

''Why are we here? Where are we, anyway?'' the ex-captain asks.

I see surprise on coach Endou's face. ''Oh, almost forgot! I still haven't told you anything, have I?''

I start to grin.

Fubuki smiles too. ''Endou, maybe it's better if we talk about this when everyone is in the living room. It's a long story,'' he says.

''Yeah, good idea!'' the coach says. We walk towards the living room, which is next to the dining room. When we all sit down, the coach starts to talk. ''Before I explain why we're here, I need to tell you a… special story.'' Coach Endou's face darkens. Outside, it starts to rain. The air feels heavy, and lightning lights up the sky. A loud thunderclap breaks the silence.

It looks like Mother Nature tries to make the atmosphere as terrifying as possible.

* * *

 **People I'm totally losing my sanity here because I'm really going to publish this.  
I want everyone to know: I used Google Translate a lot. And I mean A LOT.**

 **If I think this chapter was a succes, maybe, _maybe_ I'll publish a second. And if I think that it's ''not bad'' I'll probably publish another chapter too.**

 **If you have any ideas: Tell me! At least I can say: I don't know what is going to happen either. Okay, I wrote something about a curse.  
I have not a single idea what the curse is... sorry! So maybe the story is kind of... strange? Well, I'm strange, so it wouldn't be strange if the story was strange too, because the one who wrote it (me) is strange and is totally losing her sanity now.**

 **I guess I'll be here for a whole hour only to see if someone read it. Yeah, I know. It's not gonna happen. But I'm strange.**

 **Bye people! Before I decide I don't want to publish it. And I'm still losing my sanity.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Third Circle

**Hey everyone!**

 **I can't believe I actually got reviews and followers! I'm really surprised! Thanks, mina-san!  
I wanted to upload this chapter yesterday, but I was out of inspiration, so I finished it today.  
For the people who read the reviews: I really messed it up, didn't I? Oh well, it doesn't matter :)  
Thanks to one of my readers, I finally understand how this site works.  
I was really tired when I wrote this chapter, so I'm sorry for the mistakes. I'm from the Netherlands, so don't blame me!**

 **Well, enjoy!**

 **Oh yeah, I don't own Inazuma Eleven (GO) or the characters.**

* * *

''Well, it happened fifty years ago, when my grandfather Endou Daisuke went to Raimon. One day, the team was on a training camp when… strange things happened. Somehow, the players were in the school at night. They walked in a dark hallway, when somebody saw something. He warned the others, but they didn't believe him. A few minutes later, the boy disappeared. Another player said that he also saw something, and disappeared too. The team got scared. There were no adults, and they didn't know what to do.

Then they walked inside the gym, and they all saw a dark shadow. My grandfather said that it was really big, and it looked like black smoke. The two missing players were surrounded by the black smoke, and their eyes were closed. After that, all the players, except my grandfather, collapsed. He doesn't remember much from what happened after that. He only said something about black marks, and when the other players opened their eyes, they were glowing purple.

The next day, the whole team had disappeared. A week later, they were found in a forest surrounding Inazuma Town. No one remembers what happened, or they just don't want to talk about it. But the cops who found them said that there were signs of a fight, and a few of the players were hurt. When my grandfather went back to the forest a few weeks later, he saw a black soccerball, and he heard a voice. I don't know what the voice said, my grandfather didn't want to tell me. All he said was that the ball dissolved into black smoke.'' Everyone's quiet. The adults are looking vacantly at the wall, and I know that they remember something from a very long time ago.

Shindou frowns. ''But… what does that have to do with us?'' he asks.

This time, I'm the one who answers. ''History is repeating itself once again,'' I reply.

My teammates look at me. ''What do you mean? And why does it look like you know what is going on?'' Sangoku asks.

I smile brightly. ''Well, Sangoku-senpai, I do know what is going on.'' I look at the coach. ''Coach Endou…''

He looks at me, and nods. ''The Shadow, like we call it, has appeared before, but only in Japan. As far as we know, the first time it appeared was seventy years ago. The victims were from Teikoku. After it's first appearance, it disappeared. Ten years later, it appeared again. Disappeared. Then, it appeared at Raimon. Disappeared. Ten years after that, it appeared again. Disappeared, and so forth. Ten years ago, it appeared at the Inazuma Japan. Disappeared. And now, ten years later, it has appeared again. It always appears after ten years. We don't know what it want, or what happened to the other victims. Four out of six teams disappeared, and they were never seen again,'' he says.

Kidou takes over. ''The first victim is always the captain.'' The team looks at Shindou, who shrugs.

Gouenji continues, ''On the right arm of the captain, there appear black circles. And no, we're not talking about Shindou,'' the white-haired striker says.

Now, the team looks at him. ''So… if it's not Shindou, then there's no danger, right? So why are we here?'' Kurumada asks.

Gouenji looks at him. ''The shadow appeared… when Shindou wasn't the captain.''

Said person frowns. ''What do you mean by that?'' Shindou asks.

Kidou sighs. ''The curse – sorry, the shadow appeared when you were in the hospital. At that moment, Raimon had another captain, remember?''

Now, everyone (and I mean everyone, including the adults) looks at me.

I put off my jacket, and now everyone can see the two black lines on my arm. I sigh. ''So now, all of you know why we're here and why I know what's going on,'' I say, and look at Sangoku-senpai. He nods.

Tsurugi, who's leaning against the wall, frowns. ''So… what do we do now?'' he asks.

The coach is the one who answers him. ''First of all, we're all going to bed. It has been a very long day and we all need our rest.'' Half an hour later, everyone is sleeping.

* * *

The next day, we're having dinner in the dining room. After everyone finishes eating, I look out the window and see that the rain has stopped. ''So what do we do now?'' Shindou asks.

I turn around and smile brightly. ''We pracitce, of course!''

And that's the reason why we're at the soccer field outside the mansion. Kazemaru and Fubuki help us train, and it's really fun to play soccer again with everyone. When we're having a break, I walk to Tsurugi and Shindou. ''How long has it been since we played soccer like this?'' Shindou asks.

I tilt my head. ''Five weeks,'' I reply.

Tsurugi smiles a little. ''We've missed you at practice.''

''You… missed me?'' I ask, and look at him in disbelief.

He looks away. ''What? It's the truth'' he replies.

I try to hug him but fall on the ground when Tsurugi takes a step to the side. Shindou starts to laugh.

I frown. ''Tsurugi! That's mean!''

Shindou laughs harder. ''What's so funny?'' Tsurugi asks irritated.

The captain stops laughing. ''Practice really is different when Tenma's here. Tsurugi's right. We've missed you,'' the ex-captain says.

I smile and stand up. ''I've missed it too, practicing like this.'' I reply.

The captian nods. ''Yeah, but I didn't think _Tsurugi_ of all people would say that.''

I smile, and Tsurugi sighs. ''You two are unbelievable.'' My smile grows wider.

''Oi, Tenma!''

I turn around and look at a small person. ''What is it, Shinsuke?'' I ask my friend.

He smiles. ''When are we going to practice again?'' Shinsuke asks me.I turn around and look at Shindou.

''Why are you looking at me? Officialy, you're still the captain of the Raimon Eleven.''

My eyes widen in surprise. ''WHAT? Oh no, I totally forgot… Do you want to be captain again? Please? Please? Please?'' I beg the older boy.

Shindou only smiles. ''Was it really that horrible?'' he asks me.

I nod anxious. ''Absolutely!'' I reply, ans Shindou starts to laugh. ''Captain! It's not funny!''

The older boy stops laughing, but the smile doesn't leave his face. ''Okay, okay, I got it. But still… I don't want to be captain again. You're a really good captain, Tenma. You are captain and you stay captain. Got it?'' he says.

I frown. ''Captain, that's so mean! I'm an awful captain!''

Shindou looks at me seriously. ''My decision stays the same. You're the captain. And that means you can't call me captain. No one can,'' he says, and turns around to look at the Raimon Eleven. I didn't even notice that they listened to our conversation.

''EH? But what should I call you then?'' I ask sadly.

The ex-captain is quiet for a few seconds. ''Shindou-senpai, or Shindou-san, I don't really care. And anyway, you call everyone else who's older than you senpai, so I don't see why you wouldn't call me senpai too,'' he replies.

I sigh. ''Okay…''

''Tenma,'' Shinsuke says. ''Shouldn't we be practicing again?''

''Oh no! No, no, no, no! I can't do this. It really is horrible to be captain!'' I cry out.

Kurama sighs irritated. ''Tenma! Are we going to practice or not?'' he asks me.

I sigh. ''Hai, hai! Let's practice, mina!'' I say, and finally we go back to practice.

* * *

When practice ends, Shindou, Tsurugi and I don't go back to the mansion. ''Tsurugi! Shindou! Tenma! Let's go inside!'' Gouenji shouts.

I turn around to look at the young adult. ''Can we stay here a bit longer?'' I ask him.

Gouenji sighs. ''All right, but Endou will get mad when I leave you here alone. So I'll stay too.''

''Hai!'' I say, and smile. When I turn around, I see Shindou and Tsurugi smile. ''What?'' I ask them.

The blue-haired boy shakes his head. ''You never change, do you?'' Tsurugi murmurs. ''Come, let's play a little.'' He kicks the ball towards Shindou, and we play a small match when Gouenji joins us.

When we're about to go inside, my arm starts to burn. I lose my balance and fall.

Shindou, who is closest to me, turns around. ''Tenma!''

''Tenma, are you okay?'' that's Tsurugi.

Gouenji kneels beside me. ''Calm down, Tenma. What's wrong?''

The pain fades away, and I take a deep breath. ''They're getting closer. They're to fast!'' I say and start to panic.

Gouenji swears. ''Damn it. When will they arrive?''

I close my eyes and concentrate. ''Within the next seven hours.''

The white-haired striker curses and I stand up. ''That's more than I expected. Are you okay?'' he asks.

I nod. ''Yeah, I'm fine.''

Gouenji nods. ''I'm going to warn Endou. Shindou, Tsurugi, help Tenma get inside the mansion.'' He walks towards the door, and Tsurugi and Shindou help me stand up.

Tsurugi frowns. ''What happened?''

I sigh. ''Because of the marks on my arm, I can sense where they are,'' I reply.

Shindou frowns. ''Who are they?''

I frown, thinking of the best way to explain this. ''The shadow… serves somebody. We're not sure who, but someone created the shadow and controls it. The shadow now wanders freely, and has already approached us. But it's creators are humans, and they're still chasing us. I don't know how it works either, I just know that they're much more dangerous than the shadow itself,'' I reply.

We walk inside, and Tsurugi frowns. ''But… that 'curse' what you're talking about, it first appeared seventy years ago. If it's created and the creators are still alive, wouldn't they be really old by now?'' he asks me.

I nod. ''Yeah, but I think the curse somehow… keeps them young.''

''Wait a second, the shadow and the curse are the same, right?'' Shindou asks. I nod. ''Finally! I finally get this whole story! Seriously, your horrible at explaining things.'' I smile.

Coach Endou appears, and walks towards us. ''Tenma. Gouenji says they're close, right?'' he asks me.

I nod. ''There's a third circle,'' I say, and I show him my arm. Yesterday, there were still two circles, but now there's another one.

Endou frowns. ''Damn it. I'm going to tell the others,'' the coach says and walks out of the room.

''Why are there three circles?'' Shindou asks me.

I sigh. ''How longer the shadow wanders freely, the stronger it gets. At the end, even the strongest team can't fight it anymore. How more marks, how stronger the shadow is. It will get harder from here on, because it's not as weak as in the begin. And I'm afraid it'll grow even stronger,'' I explain.

The answer clearly doesn't satisfy Tsurugi. ''But why does it hurt?'' he asks.

I sigh again. ''The marks are a part of the shadow, so it can always find it's prey. The captain is the one who wears the shadow, because he's the heart of the team. Well, most of the time, there are always teams who have another 'heart'. But anyway, when the captain gets weaker, so will the team. When the leader is defeated, the whole team is defeated. That's just how it works. Remember when capt-, Shindou-senpai got in the hospital? The team was a mess.''

Shindou nods thoughtful. ''Yeah, that makes sense.''

''So if the shadow hurts the captain, it will hurt the entire team, right?'' Tsurugi asks, and I nod.

Our conversation ends when Fudou enters the room. ''Oi, Matsukaze! The soccer freak wants to see you in the examination room! Tsurugi, Shindou, you can come too.'' We follow Fudou through a maze of corridors, and we stop for an iron elevator. ''Get in,'' Fudou says, and we walk inside the elevator.

''Where are we going?'' Shindou asks, as we slowly go down.

''The examination room. The Inazuma Japan use it to search for information on the shadow,'' Fudou replies. After a few minutes, the elevator stops. The doors slide open, and I look at the huge examination room. _Did they built all of this?_

* * *

 **Me: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Well, I did.**

 **Tenma: So did I!**

 **Me: What are you doing here?**

 **Tsurugi: He wanted to play soccer.**

 **Shindou: Tenma, the field is on the other side of the room.**

 **Me: Wait, what is going on?**

 **Tenma: Oh, yeah, I forgot...**

 **Tsurugi: How can you forget where the soccerfield is?!**

 **Me: Tsurugi, don't shout!**

 **Shindou: Jep, Yara is right. Don't shout.**

 **Tsurugi: I'm not shouting!**

 **Tenma: Yes you are!**

 **Tsurugi: Idiots.**

 **Me: Hey guys, can I just finish this chapter and go to sleep?**

 **Shindou: No you can't.**

 **Me: Shindou, weren't you on my side?**

 **Shindou: I don't know.**

 **Tenma: Let's play soccer!**

 **Me: Oh god, I'm out of here. Oyasumi, mina-san!**


	3. Chapter 3: It's Here

**Me: Hi everyone, I'm back!**

 **Tsurugi: Took you long enough. Four months!**

 **Me: Sorry, I know. I'm really sorry. Anyway, let's get on with the story! I want to go to sleep...**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own**

* * *

''Ah, you're all here!'' a familiar voice says. I look around, and see coach Endou. He grins when he sees our shocked faces.

The examination room is _huge_. It's twice as big as my room here. The walls are a strange colour dark, metalic blue. On the other side of the room is a big… computer screen? Sorry, I can't think of a better description. There are also a lot of other, normal computers. Everything looks very, _very_ , expensive.

All the adults are here, they're mostly working on the computers. Not that I know what they're doing.

''I'm really starting to wonder where this mansion came from…'' Shindou murmurs.

The coach laughs. ''It's built like… I don't even remember. Hey, Hiroto!''

The redhead looks up from his computer. ''Nani?'' Hiroto asks.

''When was this mansion built?'' coach Endou grins sheepishly.

Hiroto sighs. ''You know you've asked that like… eight times already? Well, it doesn't matter.'' The redhead walks toward us. ''The mansion is about fifty years old. You're grandfather bought it eight years ago, so he could prepare for the next… appearance. But, back to the main subject, after he bought it he spent five years on building the examination room, the security system and the tracking device. Answer to your question?''

The coach nods. ''Thanks, Hiroto.''

The redhead smiles a little, and turns around so he can look Shindou, Tsurugi and I in the eye. ''Third circle?''

The two words are enough, and I sigh. ''Hai…''

Coach Endou frowns. ''Hiroto, please go back to work. Tenma, Shindou, Tsurugi, I need to talk to you three, and the rest of the team. Can you gather them in the living room?''

''Of course, kantoku,'' Shindou says, and he pushes me in the elevator. ''Let's go.''

* * *

''So, where's everyone?''

Tsurugi, Shindou and I are standing in the gigantic, quiet living room. Keyword: quiet. The living room is abandoned.

Tsurugi sighs at my question. ''Like we know.''

Shindou frowns slightly. ''Tenma, have you any idea where the team could be?'' he asks me, and I tilt my head slightly.

''I don't think anybody brought swimclothes, so probably not at the pool… the kitchen? Neh, we just had lunch… baseballfield? Don't think so… basketball? Nope… radiostation… art hall? Ballroom? Garden? Terrace? Not any of those…'' I mutter too myself.

Shindou and Tsurugi look at each other in disbelief. ''A… radiostation and a ballroom? Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if there's an observatory here…'' Shindou says quietly.

''Oh, but there is. On the roof, but I don't think they're there either…'' I answer absently. The eyes of my two best friends are as big as oranges, and I smile. ''Wait, I got it! What about the gaming room?''

Tsurugi's mouth opens slightly. Then he sighs. ''You first had to think about places like the baseball and the basketball field, places where soccerplayers probably never would be, before you thought about the gaming room?'' I shrug. ''Then what about the ballroom or the _radiostation_?''

Shindou only smiles and pokes my arm. ''So, are we going to the gaming room or not?''

I jump in surprise. ''Oh yeah! We should get going, right? Come, follow me! You've _got_ to chech out the new soccergame. It's based on the Inazuma Japan, isn't that funny? You have to fight those strange looking people and…''

Tsurugi and Shindou look at my retreating back, then look at eacht other. ''Do you think there's a zoo?'' Tsurugi ask quietly.

Shindou shrugs. ''I wouldn't be surprised if there was a cinema, so, yeah. Probably.'' The older boy turns and shouts: ''Tenma, Tsurugi wants to go to the zoo later. Is that okay with you?''

I turn around and grin widely. ''Of course!'' Shindou starts walking.

Tsurugi stands with his mouth half open, and seems to be frozen in place. Then, he starts running after us. ''I never said I wanted to go to the zoo! Wel, maybe a little bit…''

* * *

''Told you they were here,'' I say to Tsurugi. He only looks at me.

''No you didn't.''

I turn to Shindou who walks behind me, and use my secret weapon, which I've been working on for a while now.

My puppy dog eyes.

''S-Shindou-senpai…'' I say quietly. The older boy turns to me, ready to ask what's wrong, when he sees my eyes. First mistake.

''T-Tenma… what's w-wrong?'' he stumbles, and Tsurugi (who can't see my eyes) looks at Shindou surprised. Our ex-captain normally doesn't stumble.

''T-Tsurugi is… he's… S-Shindou-senpai, he's acting… mean again…a-and I… I don't k-know what I d-did wrong…'' my eyes fill with unshed tears, and Shindou gulps.

''I don't! Tenma, don't go around telling people things that aren't true!'' Tsurugi protests, loud enough for the team to hear. They stop with whatever they were doing (mostly playing video games), and walk towards us.

I turn around to look at Tsurugi and the team, and then it's silent. I see angry looks at Tsurugi when the team sees my puppy dog eyes, and Tsurugi gulps.

''Y-You… are you s-saying I'm a… l-liar? But… but Tsurugi I… I thought w-we were f-friends…? Or… do y-you still think… I'm… a-annoying?'' my tears are threathening to flow over.

Tsurugi starts to panic. ''O-of course you're my friend, Tenma! And I… I didn't mean that you're a liar I only meant to say that…'' he falls silent. I look at him for a few more seconds, then turn to face the team.

''E-Endou-kantoku says that we… h-have to gather in the living r-room…'' slowly the team starts to move, and Tsurugi gets a lot of angry looks.

I turn to face Hikari, Shinsuke, Kariya, Aoyama and Ichino. I blink the tears out of my eyes and give a small smile.

For a moment there's silence between us. ''What the hell did he do to you to deserve that?'' Kariya asks while blinking.

I tilt my head. ''Who, Tsurugi?'' my friends nod silently. ''He was mean. Yesterday, and today too!'' I pout. Kariya watches Tsurugi in horror, then looks at me again.

He gulps. ''Help me remember never to be mean to Tenma, okay?'' he asks the people around him. Shinsuke nods mutely.

''Have you trained on your puppy dog eyes?'' asks Hikari, and our group starts walking towards the living room. I nod happily.

''Yeah! Did it work?'' I aks my friends. Ichino looks at me like I'm crazy, which I am, but that doesn't matter right now.

''Didn't you see the reactions? Man, I've never seen such good puppy dog eyes! Maybe you should just use it when we're playing a match. The other teams won't know what they see!'' he jokes.

Aoyama joins in. ''Can you teach us? I mean, we're the youngest, newest players… we have to help each other. We should have a secret weapon against our senpai's… who's in?'' he asks. Shinsuke, Hikari, Ichino and Kariya nod.

''Okay, I'll teach you. But we have to keep it a secret! And if you teach it to someone else, I will destroy you with my Puppy Dog Eyes E!'' I say seriously.

Kariya frowns. ''Puppy Dog Eyes E?'' he asks surprised.

I nod. ''Puppy Dog Eyes Extreme, it's the improved version of the Puppy Dog Eyes. It's very dangerous, like mind control, but you do things out of your own free will. It's the perfect blackmail method.''

The five others look at each other for awhile. Then, the teal-haired sighs. ''You're the worst, Tenma, you know that?''

I tilt my head a little bit, thinking. A second later, I smile brightly. ''Of course I know! Now, let's go joint he others in the living room. Endou-kantoku looked like he was going to tell us something important!''

* * *

And that's how we all end up in the living room. It's a very big room, like all rooms here, there is a big TV-screen on the wall and a four sofas are standing in a half circle before the TV. In the middel of the sofas, there's a small coffee table with candles on it.

We're all sitting on the sofas (I'm still wondering how that's possible with so much people) and kantoku stand before the TV, with a serious expression on his face. The members of the Inazuma Japan who are here are all scattered in the room, looking serious too. Our team immediatily becomes quiet.

''Good, I'll get straight to the point,'' Endou-kantoku starts. He takes a few seconds to order his thoughts before continuing. ''The Shadow is growing stronger. Soon, the next phase will start, and it's not going to be nice.''

It's quiet for awhile. Kirino is the first one to break the silence. ''What's going to happen, kantoku?'' he asks quietly.

Endou-kantoku closes his eyes for a second, as if he fears to tell us about the third phase. Gouenji walks to his friend and puts a hand on his shoulder. Endou nods gratefully to his friends, and the white-haired offender takes over. ''People will start… disappearing. One by one, taken by the shadow.''

Next thing I see is the Raimon freaking out. Some of them our shouting, others panicking, or other things like that. Shindou and Kirino try to calm everyone down, but it's not working. The Inazuma Japan are all awfully quiet, as if this is really hard for them. Which it probably is, because they know what's going to happen and all.

Deciding I have enough of the noise, I stand up. ''I'll use my Puppy Dog Eyes on everyone who doesn't shut up in the next ten seconds!'' I'm not talking very hard, but it's quiet immediatily while everyone looks at me. i nod towards our coach. ''Kantoku, please continue.''

Endou nods again, and turns to face the Raimon Eleven. ''Hereby, you are forbidden to go anywhere alone. Try to stay with at least one other person when you walk around, except for when we're sleeping. Okay?''

There are some nods, and Kidou frowns. ''We're going back to the Examination Room to continue our investigation. Let's go.'' With that, he walks away, soon followed by the other members of the Inazuma Japan.

It's quiet for a few seconds. ''So, what do we do now?'' Sangoku asks eventually.

Shinsuke jumps forward. ''We could play soccer!'' I'm supposed to say that, right?

Kurama sighs. ''Nobody feels like playing now. We're hunted and we will be kidnapped one by one. Do you really think _anybody_ wants to play soccer right now?'' at that, Shinsuke becomes quiet.

We sit in an awkward silence for awhile, but then people start leaving in groups, until only Hamano, Shindou, Kirino and I are left. ''Kirino, I still haven't checked out the gaming room. Could you please take me there?'' the ex-captain asks, and the pink-haired defender nods, but he doesn't seem to care very much about games right now. But who can blame him?

When they leave, Hamano and I are the only ones left. ''So… should we explore the mansion?'' Hamano asks finally, after an awkward silence.

I nod. ''Of course, Hamano-senpai. We could go to the zoo?'' I suggest, and start walking.

He follows me, while murmuring: ''there's a zoo here?''

* * *

After walking in silence for about twenty minutes, my arm starts burning and I stand still. The older boy stops too and looks at me while raising his eyebrowns.

It's very quiet. The burn in my arm gets fiercer, and slowly I start walking back, still facing the corridor before me. ''It's here…'' I whisper quietly, and Hamano's eyes widen, while he turns around to look at the same direction.

''Where?'' he asks softly.

I frown. ''It's… there.'' I finally say, and walk further away. Hamano-senpai follows me.

Then, finally, we see the end of the corridor darken. Very, very slowly a strange, black mist appears before us. My eyes widen, and the air aroiund us becomes ice cold. Strange, inaudible whispers flow through the air, and I freeze. Hamano besides me stops moving as well.

The black mist surrounds us carefully, as if to critisize us. The cold becomes worse, and it's getting hard to breath. My own voice sounds through my head.

' _It's like mind control…'_

Then it hits me. Mind control. ''Hamano-senpai! It's just making us believe we can't move! It's just a trick!'' with that, I tear away from the black mist, pulling Hamano with me while I start running. The black mist begins to move faster, and starts to catch up to us. Hamano is still partly under mind control and slows us down. He seems to understand that as well.

''Tenma! Leave me here and run!'' he shouts.

I look at him in disbelief. ''What? No way!''

He frowns, a look that doesn't suit the older player. ''You have too! I'm only slowing you down!'' with that he pulls his arm out of my grip, and the black mists surrounds him, engulfing him in cold and whispers. He keeps looking at me, while mouthing one word.

Tears fill in my eyes. ''Gomen, Hamano-senpai,'' I whisper.

With that, I turn around and do what my teammate told me to do.

' _Run.'_

* * *

 **Me: So, there's the cliffhanger! Muhahahahaha!**

 **Tenma: That's so creepy.**

 **Me: I know. Bye. I'm going to sleep. Until next time!**

 **Tenma: Wow, that's... short.**

 **Me: I know. Oyasumi, Mina-san!**


	4. Chapter 4: More Questions

**Me: Hey everyone, I'm back!**

 **Shindou: Welcome back, Yara-chan.**

 **Tsurugi: So, ready to clearify a few of the events in the previous chapter?**

 **Hamano: Like why I was kidnapped?**

 **Me: Hahahaha... No, not yet. That's for later. But, anyway, I have a good feeling about this chapter. Shindou?**

 **Shindou: Hmm? Oh, of course. Yara-chan doesn't own, except for Miyako.**

 **Me: There you have it. Enjoy reading, please let me know if you have any ideas for the story in the comments!**

* * *

The two men walk through the halls of the mansion. Silence surrounds them, the two preoccupied in their own thoughts. The white-haired soccerplayer glances at the young adult who's walking next to him. The face of the dark-haired coach is blank, but Gouenji knows his friend long enough to see the worry in his dark eyes. He wants to say something to Endou, anything, to make him worry less, but what can he say? He's just as worried as his friend.

Gouenji sighs, and looks at his friend again. ''Endou…'' He starts, and said person looks up. ''… I know you're worried, but…''

Endou frowns. ''But what, Gouenji? Are you going to tell me to calm down? You know I can't. You were there too, ten years ago. I just… I just wished there was more I could do. Raimon doesn't deserve this.'' The man sighs.

Gouenji looks at his captain, frowning. ''You're doing enough, Endou. You're not almighty. I know what happened back then, but this time is different. Raimon isn't alone, we're all here. And _you_ should stop blaming yourself for what happened. It's not your fault, we all made mistakes, and, most of all, no one knew what was going to happen. Raimon needs you _now_ , so get yourself together and act like the coach you are. Okay?'' The white-haired man says sharply.

Endou sighs, and shakes his head. ''You're right, I'm acting stupid.'' The coach gives a small smile. ''But you should stop blaming yourself too. And don't say that it's not true, because I know it is. Okay?''

Their eyes meet, and Gouenji smiles. ''Fine.''

Endou nods. ''Good.'' The young adult starts walking again. ''We should get going, the others are waiting for us!''

Gouenji smiles while following his captain, not knowing that said person is remembering the horrible events from ten years ago.

* * *

 _The boy stumbles through the dark corridors, while searching suppert from the dark, stone walls. He doesn't know how long or how far he has walked, or which way he is going. He doesn't know if it's day or night: the cave prevents any sun or moonlight from coming in. The boy doesn't want to remember the events that lead to this, only forces himself to walk and walk and walk and walk... trying to get as far away as possible from_ _ **them**_ _._

 _Suddenly, the boy hears something behind him, and he turns around. The darkness that engulfs the far end of the corridor, seems to become even darker than before, and the boy's eyes widen in fear. He turns around again and starts running. He has to get away from there! Away from the dark, cold shadow that's behind him._

 _But the boy is tired and soon, the black fog surrounds him, and shows him things that aren't true! They can't be true! But… it seems… so real…_

 _He sees his friends. Some of them are lying on the ground, unconscious, while others are standing in front of the dark wall, eyes closed, not moving… and everywhere, everywhere is the fog, the dark, dark fog, surrounding them, hurting them…_

 _The boy is back in the dark corridor, surrounded by the shadow, his friends nowhere to be seen. Then he hears the screams, familiar voices, screaming and screaming and screaming… make it stop!_

 _And the fog slowly pulls back, disappearing in the shadows, leaving the boy trembling in the dark. He looks up, to the dark ceiling of the cave, wondering why. Why did this have to happen to them? Why?_ _ **Why?!**_

 _And the boy's eyes turn dull, dark like the shadows that surround him. Slowly he collapses, closing his eyes._

 _It won't be long anymore before Endou Mamoru breaks._

* * *

It's been a while since I felt the burning feeling in my arm disappeared, but I'm still running. I can't forget the image of Hamano who's engulfed in the dark fog, slowly disappearing from my sight. I shake my head and keep running through the halls. I don't know where I'm going, and I don't care either. I stop when I see a door at the end of the hall which I'm currently in. There's no other way I can go, except back – a way I'd rather avoid – so I slowly open the door only to feel… cold air?

Walking further, I see the blue sky and white stone. A balcony.

I close the door and silently walk to the balustrade and look at the landscape below me. Green grass and a big lake. The lake is surrounded by trees, the leaves slowly waving in the wind. Above the trees, grey clouds block out the sun, moving towards the mansion. The wind grows stronger, taking the leaves with it. The smooth surface of the lake ripples, and the clouds drift closer. I'm not sure how long I stand there, but the clouds are covering the entire sky when I turn around to go inside. A shiver runs down my spine, and I feel eyes looking at me. I look at the trees, but see nobody. Then, I walk back inside and close the door to the balcony, hoping to get rid of the dark eyes behind me.

I start walking the way I came, and can hear the sound of voices when I get closer to the heart of the mansion. The moment I walk inside the living room, I see my team and the adults. They're all here… except for Hamano-senpai, of course.

My presence has gone unnoticed. That changes the moment Midori sees me.

''Tenma! Where were you?'' the long-haired girl asks me, turning around with her hands on her hips. Akane and Aoi, who were talking with her (well, Aoi was talking. Akane was mostly taking pictures) turn around. The moment Aoi sees me, she walks towards me with a frown on her face.

''Tenma! Where were y-'' she cuts herself off, and the frown turns into a worried look. ''Are you okay?'' she asks instead.

I smile, rather convincing, while answering her question. ''Yeah, I'm fine.''

The frown returns. ''Tenma, I've known you for a long time now. I know something's wrong, so don't lie okay?'' the blue-haired girl asks.

I look at the floor. ''Please, Aoi, I… if I have to tell it, I'd rather do it once for the entire team, okay?''

Aoi looks a little shocked. ''Tenma…'' she says quietly. Then she smiles. ''Okay. I trust you.''

Surprised, I look at her and smile. ''Thanks, Aoi.''

Our conversation is cut off when Gouenji, Kidou and Endou-kantoku walk towards us.

The white-haired player frowns. ''Tenma. Where were you? You've been missing for three hours. We thought something happened!''

Under the stares of the three rather intimidating adults, I slowly avert my gaze. ''But something _did_ happen,'' I defend myself softly. The three men are taken aback, and I keep my gaze on the ground.

Endou sighs. ''The next phase, right?'' he asks, but it's more a conclusion than a question. I only nod. ''Who?''

Kidou has the answer. ''Everybody's here, except… Hamano.'' He looks at me, silently asking me if he's right. I nod again.

Endou frowns, and clears his throath. Everybody in the room turns around to look at him. ''It seems like things are going faster than I thought. The first disappearance-'' he doesn't get to finish his sentence.

Tsurugi, who's leaning against the wall, turns his head a bit and opens his orange eyes. ''Who?''

Endou-kantoku hesitates, but before he can say anything, a certain white-haired adult answers Tsurugi's question. ''Hamano was taken by the Shadow.''

Again, people are panicking. ''Calm down, everyone! It's going to be fine!'' Endou tries to calm them, and it becomes a little calmer.

''Calm down? Who knows what's happening to Hamano right now! How can we calm down?'' Hayami says, and I frown. I'm not the only one.

The ex-captain of the Raimon walks towards the boy. ''Hayami, we're going to be fine. Hamano's fine, right, kantoku?'' Shindou asks and looks at the coach. Said coach nods.

Shindou smiles at the other boy. ''You're right, Hamano will be fine,'' Hayami murmurs, and I can't stop the little smile that appears on my face. Since the match against Kaiou, Hayami-senpai has become a lot more positive, and it was a little shocking to see him like he was when I first joined the team. But it looks like Shindou has helped him.

The people in the room slowly start a few conversations, feeling a little bit better after what Shindou and Endou-kantoku said. I hesitantly look at the ex-captain, who's talking with Hayami and a few of the other third years. He doesn't seem to notice me.

Then, I feel somebody looking at _me_. I glance towards the group adults, and see Midorikawa and Kazemaru who are looking at me. When the two notice me looking, they quickly turn their gazes towards Hiroto, who's saying something.

I frown a bit, but shrug and walk towards the door that leads outside. Nobody notices me when I leave the mansion, picking up a soccerball on the way.

Outside, it's colder, but I pay it no mind and walk towards the field. I'm wearing my soccer jersey, which has become a habit, but it comes in handy now.

Slowly, I start to kick the ball, shooting a few goals and doing some warming-up. Then I create a track with traffic cones, which are standing on the sidelines.

The practicing is refreshing. It feels… normal, after everything that has happened. The dribbling exercises calm my mind, and my body falls back in the normal rhythm I've been training on for years. Soon, I create harder tracks, making sharp bends and forcing myself to make moves most players would mess up. But dribbling _is_ my specialty, after all, so it isn't that hard. Soon, my laughter sounds in the fresh air.

I'm so focused on the practice that I don't notice it when two certain people walk towards the field.

''It's good to see him so… normal. So happy,'' Shindou says softly.

Tsurugi nods, smiling a little. ''Yeah.''

Shindou continues. ''He seems so… different. I know we haven't seen him for a week, when he was on a 'vacation', and he's only back for two days, but… it's hard to miss. He tries to hide it…''

Tsurugi nods. ''He looks older. More serious, more mature. It doesn't suit him.''

The ex-captian smiles, but it's a sad smile. ''When did he change so much?'' he murmurs, glancing at his blue-haired friend.

Said friend sighs. ''Never thought I'd say this, but I kind of miss the… happy Tenma. I'm worried.''

''Yeah.''

At the same time, I shoot the ball in the goal and walk towards it to pick it up. When I turn around to start the exercise again, I look surprised at my two friends.

''Tsurugi? Shindou-senpai?'' I ask, and the two soccerplayers look at me, earlier conversation forgotten. I walk towards them. ''What are you doing here?''

The blue-haired boy smiles lightly. ''Can we play soccer with you?'' he asks, and the ex-captain next to him nods.

I shrug. ''Of course!''

The next hour, we're trying to steal the ball to score. It's fun, just three friends playing soccer. For a short while we can forget everything that has happened and just laugh.

At the moment, I have the ball, and I'm running towards the goal when Tsurugi and Shindou come into my view, blocking the way.

First is Shindou. I stop when he runs towards me, trying to steal the ball. I kick the ball lightly, and try to get around Shindou. He follows me and blocks the way again. I smile, and turn my back towards the ex-captain. Tapping the ball lightly, I spin around Shindou. In a last attempt to stop me, he tries to jump in front of me. I tick the ball again, and turn the other way, succesfully passing Shindou.

Next is Tsurugi. The blue-haired player tries to steal the ball, but I tap the ball and it rolls to the side. Tsurugi has too much speed and can't stop in time, thereby sliding to far, giving me the chance to pass him and shoot at the goal. The ball flies into the net.

A big smile appears on my face. ''Yes! I did it!'' the two other people on the field start to smile too.

Shindou walks up to me. ''Good work, Tenma. You really have improved the past few months.''

I smile to him. ''Arigatõ gozaimashita, senpai! But, I'm not the only one who has improved. We all have!''

Tsurugi joins in on our conversation. ''Yeah. Our hard work has paid off. But I don't believe this is everything we can do,'' the striker says, and I look at him surpised.

''Huh? What do you mean?'' I ask him.

Tsurugi looks at me, still smiling. ''I think we can become stronger together.''

Shindou smiles. ''Yeah, you're right. We can become much, much stronger.''

My surprised look turns into a smile. ''Yes! I want to become stronger and play with everyone! I want to play matches against all the strong opponents we haven't faced yet, and have fun with everyone!''

I turn around to look at the sky. Tsurugi and Shindou also look at the sky, still smiling. ''Yeah. Have fun with everyone. That's the most important thing,'' Shindou says.

Tsurugi nods. ''We'll become the new legends, maybe even surpass the Inazuma Japan.''

I turn to look at him and laugh. Shindou-senpai turns around too. ''Who knows? Only one way to find out. Now, let's play a little more, shall we?''

When the sky starts to turn darker, we finally stop. ''I guess it's time to get back inside before,'' Shindou says. After we cleaned up the field, we go back to the mansion.

''Thanks for today, Shindou-senpai, Tsurugi. I think I'm going to my room to change,'' I say to my friends.

Shindou frowns. ''Will you be fine on your own? Kantoku says we shouldn't walk around without anybody else nearby,'' the ex-captain warns, and I smile warmly at him.

''I'll be fine, don't worry.'' With that, I walk away, towards my room. I don't see anyone on the way, so I'm surprised when I hear voices. I look around, and slowly walk towards the corner. When I look around the corner, I see the Inazuma Japan. I want to walk away, but stop when I hear their conversation.

''… worried about them. It's going to fast. We almost don't have time to react!'' that's Fubuki.

Someone sighs. ''We know, Fubuki, but… we have to do _something_. We can't just sit back and watch how the Raimon gets destroyed!'' I recognize Hiroto's voice.

''I know, Hiroto, I know, but…! What can we do?'' Fubuki again.

I glance towards the adults, and see Gouenji who has placed his hand on the shoulder of the grey-haired striker. Kidou frowns. ''Hiroto's right, we can't give up. You know what will happen in the Maze-'' the players freeze, and turn their gazes to their captain. ''… Sorry, Endou, I didn't mean to…''

Endou shakes his head when Kidou tries to apologize. ''It's okay. You're right, Kidou, we have to be prepared for everything that can happen, including the Maze. We've never given up before, and we're not going to give up now! We're going to help the Raimon and before you know it, we'll be playing soccer again without a care in the world. Okay?'' Endou smiles brightly, and I see the other adults smile as well.

' _So that's the amazing goalkeeper I've heard about. He really is the captain of the legendary Inazuma Japan,'_ I think. It's amazing how he's able to cheer up all of his teammates and motivate them again with just a few words.

Kazemaru's smile falls. ''Yeah, but… we have to watch out for Matsukaze.'' My eyes widen. ' _Me? What can I possibly do?'_ Kazemaru continues. ''He's the trigger. When he gives up, the whole team will fall.''

Endou nods and grits his teeth. ''It's the perfect way to break all of them. Take the captain, the light of the team, and use his responsibility against him. When they see their teams, most of the time they give up and from their on, the Shadow will invade the minds of the other players. Take over the center and there's no way to stop it.''

Fudou glances my way, and I hide behind the wall again. It takes all my concentration to hear what he says next. ''Oi, Soccer Freak, someone's there.''

' _Crap. I've got to get out of here!'_ quickly, I run away and duck behind another corner. I'm not sure how, but somehow I know I'll be in big trouble when they see me here. At least because I'm on my own. I hear the footsteps of the older soccerplayers, searching for me.

After a while, they stop. ''Gone. Sometimes it's annoying that soccerplayers have a good condition. I don't think we'll figure out who it was now. Let's go.'' Endou's voice becomes softer when he starts walking again, followed by his teammates.

Even when they're gone, I stay where I am. After another ten minutes, I leave my hiding place and walk to my room, thinking about everything I've just heard. _'If I give up, it'll be over for all of us. I can't let that happen! I can't let everyone down! We just got our soccer back… I don't want too hurt everyone and endanger them. I want everyone to play soccer together and have fun. I won't give up!'_

When I enter my room, I change into my normal clothes. Soon, I notice the time and leave my room.

''Tenma-kun!'' I hear a voice behind me, and turn around.

I smile when I see my friends. ''Hikari! Shinsuke! Kariya!'' I walk towards my three teammates, and we head towards the dining room.

* * *

Outside the mansion, a woman is surrounded by a dark fog, disappearing in the night. When she reappears, she's standing in a dark cave. A strange, purple glow is the only light source in the cave. The woman stands on a stone platform. The right side of the ''room'' is entirely made of stone, while the left side is open, showing the Maze meters beneath the platform. The Maze is gigantic, it's almost impossible to see the ends.

In front of the norten wall of the room, the ground is higher. They form small stairs, leading to the dark, throne-like chair. On the chair sits a man, hidden in the shadows, surrounded by a black Fog.

''Master, I've returned. The prey is enjoying their time in the Mansion, but the adults are starting to get suspicious.'' The woman says, and the man nods.

The woman turns around to look at the right wall. In front of the wall stands a boy with dark-blue hair and eyes closed. He wears a yellow and blue football jerney, with a lightning shaped emblem. ''It seems like our guest is enjoying his time here, doesn't it, my dear Master?'' the woman smiles a cold smile.

''It sure does. What about the Sacrifice?'' the man asks. He has a cold, intimidating voice.

The woman smiles, and thinks back to the brown-haired boy who stood on the balcony. ''I have to say, he's quite sharp. He even noticed my presence once.'' The woman frowns. ''He was playing soccer with two of the other preys, Tsurugi Kyousuke and Shindou Takuto. He's indeed, a worthy Sacrifice. You made a good choice, my dear Master.''

The man on the throne smiles, a cold, cruel smile, while overlooking the Maze beneath him. ''I sure did, Miyako, I sure did. Please continue with your... _invitations_. We wouldn't want our guest to get lonely, now, would we?''

The woman, Miyako, only makes a bow.

* * *

 **Me: And there you have it. If you see any mistakes, please let me know in the comments.**

 **IMPORTANT, READ!**

 **I want to tell you guys a few things.  
First: I'm going to use two POVs in this story. The 3th POV, and Tenma's POV. So if you suddenly read ''I'' and ''me'', then it's Tenma's POV.  
Second: I think I'm going to rewrite chapter one and two soon.  
Third: I'm going to use a few OCs, like Miyako, as the ''bad guys'' here. Hopefully you'll keep reading the story, but I understand if you don't want to read it anymore if there are OCs.**

 **Okay, it might take a while before chapter five is up, but I'm doing my best. Thanks for the support!**


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